I got in my car today to run some errands and turned on the radio. To my delight, the music playing was christmas music. Every year, time goes by too fast and and moments fly right by...but today amongst the traffic and the chaos, I smiled.

The weather is cold and I have too many layers on for my liking but holiday music is something I truly enjoy. It makes me stop and reflect on the year gone by, my family and of course my dear friends. It's my chance to stop and breathe in the moment before it too passes me by.

Many things happen in our life time, and with the economy as it is...things seemed more grim than ever. Crimes, death and disease the list goes on, but today I smile because I remember the joy we so often forget.

Be safe everyone and enjoy a moment too.

I didn't become vegan for the sake of vanity, or as a fad, but this is definitely motivating!



She was voted PETA's sexiest vegetarian over 50. And she's 70 years old! Damn! She looks amazing! She's been a vegan for 40 years and if this is the result...we have to tell all our omni friends! And guess what? She's a sexy cougar, her boyfriend is almost 2 decades younger than her!

I've tried to let it go, however I'm still upset at my doctor. So I've decided to rant about my experience.

I wanted to get a thorough work up on my health, so I visited my doctor and had a crap load of tests done. Vials of blood, samples of pee and other random things. Needless to say, she checked everything, which I was grateful. I went back in today (or rather yesterday afternoon) for my results and heard the worst news.

Before I begin to worry anyone, let me clearly state that she told me that all my tests came back normal and very healthy. Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing to be concerned about. So I was relieved. Then came the bomb.

She told me, I should eat a steak.

OK folks. I'm vegan. She knows this, I know she knows this, hence the additional B12 test she included in the bloodwork. So....steak? Are you kidding? All my levels are normal and healthy and she decided that since I am vegan, that I'm not getting enough protein. GO FIGURE! I heard the choir sing, "how do you get enough protein?" I instantly gave her a disapproving look which she noticed and asked why I looked upset. I had to remind her that I was A VEGAN!. Which is fine. She's a busy doctor, I don't expect her to remember all my details. So she made additional recommendations to increase my protein...Ensure drinks (which I told her had milk - but she didn't believe), Whey Protein (which I said is "MILK" - she didn't believe that either), or protein bars. Great, I'm trusting my health to a person that knows nothing about what she's saying in terms of my diet.

Before I continue my ranting let me preface with the fact that she is Indian and her mother is a vegetarian, so I thought I was safe in regards to her experience and knowledge about my lifestyle. WRONG! She admittedly confessed that she can't imagine a meal without some sort of animal carved up in it or on it.

Ok folks, I may not have been so upset about her suggestions if she knew what she was suggesting. Also, she just told me my 'levels' were all normal and healthy. Why am I lacking in protein now??

I, for one know I eat plenty of foods to offer my body enough protein. It may not be an animal product, but I eat so much...theres no possible way I'm lacking. I eat nuts, beans, veggies, brown rice, quinoa, natto, miso, nutritional yeast, and generally speaking, only close to natural forms of soy products (soy milk, tofu or edamame).

Then, she said "don't eat nuts because they're not good for you." OMG. Are you kidding me? I told her I only eat a small handful of walnuts and almonds....she claims these are the worst possible nuts I could be eating because they're raising my cholesterol level (which by the way, is still in healthy ranges). She said they don't provide any nutritional value and that I should stop eating them. ~this is where I looked at her again with disgust and disbelief. I told her that I eat them because they are healthy fats, in addition to a daily dose of freshly grounded flaxseed, and wheat germ(for folate) with my morning shakes with the addition of a vegan multivitamin, B12 and Calcium. Yeah, she wasn't having any of that either. Folate and B12 apparently can't be absorbed properly in a veggie diet.

In addition to telling me not to eat nuts, she also told me to cut back on my shelled fish. HMMMM. Are we all there doc? I'm VEGAN!

ARGGH! I'm so irritated. I'd be less irritated if my health was deteriorating and the lab work proved it, however...prescribing foods only because I eat a vegan diet is just stupid.

Oh, and while I'm ranting - the former vegan I met today because he couldn't figure out how to eat other than processed food and ended up looking sickly and emaciated, and my friend that said he went on a vegetarian diet which includes chicken and fish...you guys are retarded too.

(Letting out a deep breath)...much better now.

Today is Earth Day.

Let's all make a difference and do something to better our planet! Plus it'll help your pocket book.

1. recycle - turn in bottles and plastics for cash.
2. walk/bike - save on gas, help keep the air clean
3. turn off lights/unused electronics - save on utilities
4. pick up litter and trash - keep storm drains clean, and keep our water sources clean
5. donate unused or unneeded clothes/furniture/things - give them a second life by recycling
6. carpool.
7. change your light bulbs to energy-savers.
8. plant something - a tree, vegetables or a flower garden
9. buy locally grown foods
10. clean up after your pets
11. if you must drive, make sure your tires are properly inflated and pump your gas early in the morning or when its cool to get the most bang for your buck.
12. conserve water - turn it off while brushing teeth, use a water-saver shower head, put a brick in your toilet tank if you don't have a water-saver toilet and keep watering gardens to a minimum - make sure sprinkler heads are all functional and not spraying unnecessarily and water while its cool in the early morning or later in the evening.
13. keep your home cool by keeping shades closed on warm days, and on cool days - keep it warm by opening shades to let the sun and heat in.
14. lastly...go vegan, even if its only for one meal...it'll save a life and possibly your own!

Remember, these are things we should do on Earth Day, but nothing is stopping us from doing it everyday